NHS: Pressure is mounting

The results of a survey carried out by the British Medical Association (BMA) reveal the extent to which rota gaps and the delivery of care in the NHS is getting worse.

With doctors coming under increasing pressure in the busy winter, this is further evidence of the pressure that services are under, with almost 70 per cent of doctors believing that the delivery of urgent and emergency care has worsened.

Across the country, more than seven in ten hospital doctors reported rota gaps, and almost half of GPs reported vacancies in their practices, the majority of these having at least one vacancy remaining unfilled for over six months.

As well as highlighting the urgent need for improvement in the delivery of services, these figures should prompt politicians to act now and come up with a long-term funding solution so the NHS can be prepared for future challenges and doctors have the support and resources to deliver safe, high-quality care.